Apparatus for feeding and aligning paper sheets for a typewriter



Sept. 8, 1936. w. c. PFEIFFER APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AND ALIGNING PAPER SHEETS FOR A TYPEWRITER Filed Jan. 3, 1935 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 C CCQOOOCUCSO Sept. 8, 1936. w. c. PFEIFFER APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AND ALIGNING PAPER SHEETS FOR A TYPEWRITER Filed Jan. 3, 1935 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ali Jwuewmv WILLIAM C. PFKIFF'ER, 51W

Sept. 8, 1936. w c PFEHFFER 2,053,578

' APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AND ALIGNING PAPER SHEETS FOR A TYPEWRITER Filed Jan. 5, 1955 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Inve'nroa WM. MQi-PFEIFFER,

Sept. 8, 1936.

w. c. PFEIFFER APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AND ALIGNING PAPER SHEETS FOR A TYPEWRITER GMMW WILLIAMGPFEIFFER "W 1935 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Nam ' Jvwewoa WILLIAM c. PFEIFFER,

NM MN NM m mm W. C. PFEIFFER Filed Jan. 3,

Sept. 8, 1936.

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AND ALIGNING PAPER SHEETS FOR A TYPEWRITER T Q flfi .L I.

............... r w x T 1 I I r n I 9 1 i I I I -1 ii. it: 1: L am M uw 8 w fig Sept. 8, 1936.

W. C. PFEIFFER APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AND ALIGNING PAPER SHEETS FOR A TYPEWRITER Filed Jan. 3, 1935 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented Sept. 8, 1936 UNITED STATES APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AND ALIGNING PAPER SHEETS FOR A TYPEWRITER William C. Pi'eifler, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to The Egry Register Company, Dayton, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application January 3, 1935. Serial No. 250

17 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in attachments for use in connection with typewriters, and has for its object to provide for feeding continuous paper strips divided into sections with carbon strips successively located between the sections through a typewriter; and after they have been written upon to provide means of aligning the paper sheets when they are finally drawn out of the machine prior to being torn ed, at the same time to draw new paper sections and. the carbon sheets into a new writing position.

It is an object of this invention to provide an attachment having means thereon for supporting and elevating the leading ends of strips of paper supported by the attachment and fed about the platen of a typewriter, and particularly the invention relates to a finger clip for operating the instrumentality that engages and supports the leading ends of the strips of paper.

It is also an object of this invention to provide an attachment whereby operation of the platen presser roll release lever will simultaneously release the hitherto unreleasable holding roll or detent from the platen ratchet and, therefore, perform by operation of the presser roll release lever alone, the result which hitherto required the separate operation of this lever and also of the mechanism which releases the platen roll ratchet from the platen roll in the conventional construction of the machine which is described and illustrated in this application.

It is also an object to provide, in connection with the usual guide plate found at the rear of a typewriter and extending upwardly and backwardly from the typewriter platen, an auxiliary guide plate adapted to flt over the front of the first-named guide plate for maintaining strips of paper in proper lateral alignment.

These and other advantages will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a side elevation of the typewriter with the attachment mounted thereon, together with the strips of paper supported by the attachment and fed to the typewriter, and shown in the position which they have at the beginning of the writing operation.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the typewriter and attachment as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view showing a part of the attachment frame and a part of the typewriter with written strips of paper in extracting position and carbon in retracted position.

typewriter, together with the brackets used for supporting the attachment on the typewriter.

Figure 6 is a top plan view of the attachment with the strips of paper supported thereby, partly broken away.

Figure 7 is a section taken on the li 'il oi Figure 4.

Figure 8 shows an attachment for releasing the holding dog of the platen ratchet simultaneously with the release of the platen presser rolls. Figure 9 is a vertical section through the lower end of the attachment, showing the back bar and. the structure associated therewith in section and elevation.

Figure 10 is a perspective view of an auxiliary guide plate for maintaining the strips of paper in lateral alignment.

Figure 11 is an end view of the auxiliary plate shown in Figure 10 attached to a part of a typewriter.

Figure 12 is a view similar to Figure 11, showing a part of the sheet'support attachment, together General statement of operation After the combined paper sheets and carbon sheets are written upon, starting with the position in Figure 1 and terminating with the ticket area written upon with the tickets and carbon sheets extending above the front of the platen and behind the front linger bar, then the platen is released. The combined action of the effect 5 of gravity on the rear pin bar 42 and frame, plus the eifect of the spring 28 on the upper chain roller 21, will serve to draw back both the paper and carbon sheets that have been written upon to a point where the carbon sheets are behind the pressure rollers on the platen 2. Then the platen 2 is re-locked by placing the pressure rollers 3 in looking position (Fig. 3). At this time the holding roller or detent I is also restored to braking position. 1

Then hold out the rear pin bar 42 by removing the pins 44 from the holes in the paper sheets and actuate, the platen 2 until the transverse perforations, which are third back from the outer end, come opposite the pointer 13. The third" refers to the present drawings, but it might be some other number depending upon the length of the tickets. At this time the carbon strips are stationary.

Then release the rear pin bar 42 so that the pins 44 can drop into the paper holes, release the platen 2 and move the paper sheets projecting in front of the platen to a point where they may be placed upon the front bar pins 64, and insert the finger in the finger piece 66 on the front pin barv *63 to hold the sheets in position, and then lift the bar 63 and sheets as far as is permitted. Lock the platen 2 on the carbon sheets and paper sheets, which are now in writing position for a second writing operation, then remove the finger, remove the paper sheets from the front finger pins 64 and tear oifthe paper sheets.

Detail mechanism Referring to the drawings in detail, Figure 1 shows a typewriter and the various attachments associated therewith. The typewriter is indicated by the numeral l and has the usual platen 2, presser rolls 3 and a release lever 4 for moving the presser rolls to and from the platen. The platen also has the usual holding roller or detent 5 for engaging the ratchet 6 on the end of the platen for preventing free rotation of the platen.

While the prior practice in the art has been to provide a lever 4 for moving the presser rolls 3 to and from the platen roll 2 and separate means (incorporated in the platen unit so as to be an integral part thereof) controlled by member 2b for releasing the ratchet 6 from the platen 3, the same result is hereby achieved, as shown in Figure 8, by the provision of means, connected with the presser roll release lever for removing the holding roller or detent 5 from contact with the ratchet 6, which, naturally, need not be released from the platen roll 2, as was the former practice. Applicant has thus simplified the operation of the machine by actuation of lever 4, to perform a result which was hitherto to be achieved only by separate operation, both of this lever and also the control 2b, by means of which the ratchet 6 was freed from the platen roll 2; see Figure 8. In order to release the ratchet 6 from platen 2 in machines of the construction illustrated, it is necessary to urge member 2b toward the right (as seen in Figure 8) and to give it a forward twist, as shown by the arrows, with respect to member ita and the platen assembly proper. This time-consuming step is made entirely unnecessary by the construction herein described.

For the purpose of throwing the holding roller or detent 5 out of engagement with the ratchet 6, thus freeing the platen from the braking effect thereof without release of ratchet 6 from the platen roll, a horizontally-disposed substantially flat cam lever I is pivotally mounted upon a side of the platen carriage of the machine by means of a vertically-disposed screw-headed pintle or stud 8, a friction washer 811. being interposed between member I and the head of stud 8; between the pivot or fulcrum of the cam lever I and the outer end 9 thereof a groove is cut, thereby forming a vertical knife-edge surface, designated 9min the drawings, which is engage l by the curved shank 4a of lever 4 when it is drawn forward-by the operator.

At the inner or right end of the lever 1 is formed a triangular projection 1a extending vertically downward from the lower surface thereof inside the side rail of the platen carriage with one flat surface of the projection disposed rearwardly and extending substantially parallel to the platen axis; this lateral projection 1a abuts a portion of the bifurcated leaf-spring 5a, in which the holding roller or detent 5 is mounted by a conventional pin or axle. It will thus be seen that engagement of the shank 4a of lever 4 with knife-edge surface So will cause counterclockwise rotation of member 1 (as seen in Figure 8) about pintle 8; and the engagement of projection Ia with the bifurcated roller-supporting spring 5a will simultaneously cause a rearward (as seen in Figure 8) movement of the spring 5a which will draw the holding roller or detent 5 out of engagement with the ratchet 6, thereby producing a condition, in which the presser rolls 3 are withdrawn from contact with the platen 2, and the platen roll 2 is then capable of rotation free of the ratchet and holding roller or detent 5.

Suitably attached to some rear part of the typewriter is a bracket I (Figure which has at each end upwardly extending arms II. On each arm is a clip l2 adapted to receive a leg l3 attached to the lower end of a side bar I5 of an attachment frame by means of rivets and spaces [4. There are two side bars connected at their lower ends by means of a lower bar l6, while they are connected at their upper ends by means of an upper bar 3. The side bars are also braced intermediate these bars by means of diagonal braces H. -The upper bar I8 is supported in spaced relation to the sides by means of spacer blocks IS. The lower bar l6 has thereon adjacent to each end a bracket 20. These brackets 20 support a shaft 2| which has intermediate its ends and aflixed thereto spaced sprockets 22. Adjacent to the upper ends of the sides is a shaft 23 journaled in the side bars and having thereon spaced sprockets 24 connected to sprockets 22 by means of chains 25, all as shown in Figure 5.

On the shaft 23 between the sprockets 24 is a drum 26 used for supporting the strips of paper passing thereover freely from the sprockets 24. Fitting over one end of the shaft 23 and supported by one of the side bars I5 is a spring housing 21 which has therein a coil spring 28 attached to one end of the shaft 23 and at its other end to the interior of the housing (Figure 13). This spring is used for retracting sheets of carbon paper supported by the chains. Immediately above the shaft 23 and the drum 26 thereon and supported by the side bars I5 is a rotatable shaft 29 which has adjacent to each end an adjustable guide disk 30 for maintaining the strips of paper passing therebetween in alignment. At the back of the frame and attached to the chains is a back plate 3| which engages the rear surfaces of the side bars l5 and has at each end a tongue 32 (Figure '7) which engages the front edge of a back arm of the side bar l5 for holding the back plate in engagement with the side bars. At each end of the back plate 3| and at the top thereof there is a struck-up bracket 33. These brackets serve to support a guide rod 34. Adjacent to each end of this rod 34 is a sleeve 35 adjustably attached to the rod by means of screws 36. These sleeves 35 are spaced apart according to the width of paper fed over the attachment and to the typewriter. The strips of paper pass between this rod 34 and the chain.

At the lower edge of the back plate II and at each end of the back plate, there is a plate 91. Each of these plates has its inner end bent up to form a bracket 38 for supporting one end of a shaft 39 (Figure 5). The outer end of each plate 31 is bent up to form a bracket 45. To each of these brackets is attached one end of a lever 4| by means of a pivot 4la (Figure 9). To these levers 4|, intermediate their ends, is attached an angle iron back bar 42, which is referred to as the back pin bar, and which is connected to the rod 34 by means of a spring 43 which tends to urge the back pin bar 42 and the levers 4| toward the frame. On the back pin bar 42, projecting forwardly therefrom, is a pair of pins 4%. These pins are adapted to project through holes provided therefor in the strips of paper so that when the strips of paper move, the sprocket chain will travel and carry with them carbon sheets, supported by means of a front plate (45 attached in some suitable manner to the chains 25 (Figures 1, 3, 4:, and 7). This front plate 435 has at each end a tongue adapted to fit behind a part of the side member i5 for holding the plate 35 in engagement with the front sur faces of the side members it.

At each end of the front plate 55 and extend= ing downwardly therefrom is a bracket til (Figures 3 and a), from which a pin (it projects. These pins have notches d9 thereon for receiving the notched ends 59 of a spring plate M for the purpose of holding sheets of carbon paper on the pins 48, shown particularly in Figure '7.

The strips of paper fed to the typewriter and supported by the attachment are indicated by the numeral 52 and are fed from the pile 53 10'- cated at the rear of the typewriter. These strips are divided by cross perforations 52a into tickets or forms which have adjacent to their leading edges, holes 5311 to receive either the pins 44 or 64. The sheets of carbon 54 are supported upon the pins 48 by means of hard fibrous plates or strips 55 attached to the upper ends thereof. For the purpose of preventing the sheets of carbon from becoming detached from the pins 49,

each pin 48 has in its end and extending upwardly therefrom a pin 56; see Figures 1, 3, and 4.

Suitably attached to the upper bar l8, intermediate the ends thereof and extending downwardly therefrom, is a channel-shaped guide member 51. While immediately on top of the member I8 and adjacent to the guide member 51 is a rubber cushion 58. Exterrdingthrough the guide member 51 is a slide 59 which has on its upper end a U-shaped clip 60. Extending through the free ends of this clip is a screw 6| operated by means of a knob 62. This clip 99 may be adjusted longitudinally of the slide member 59 and engages the rubber cushion 59 to limit the downward movement of the slide. On the lower end of the slide 59 is a transverse cross arm or bar 53 which has on each end a pin 64. On the cross arm and adjacent the slide 59' is a friction plate 65, shaped to project in front of the cross arm and to have a plurality of outward projections.

Immediately above and in front of this fric-- tion plate is a U-shaped finger clip 55, spaced from the slide 59 by means of a spacer block 61 and attached to the slide by means of rivets 58 which pass through the spacer block 51'. The

typewriter has the usual arcuate upwardly and rearwardly extending plate 69 (Figures 10, 11, and 12) to which there is attached an auxiliary similarly shaped plate Ill which has a hook H at its upper end for engagement with the plate 69. This auxiliary plate has at its lower laterial edges, projections 12, between which the strips of paper fed over the attachment and to the typewriter are located. One of the side bars or members l5 has attached thereto a pointer 13, as shown in Figure 2.

The upward movement of the slide 59 is limited by means of a stop screw I4 (Figure 1) arranged to slide within a slot in the guide member 51 and be stopped by the guide member at the upper end of the slot. This screw 14 may be adjustably arranged with relation to the slide member 59.

Operation The strips of paper are fed from the stack of folded sheets 53 over a series of rolls, which feed the sheets 52. The aligning pins M are located in spaced perforations in each of the tickets or sections of the sheet. These holes are the file punch holes. The sheets, as heretofore described, are continuous paper sheets, transversely perforated at intervals to form tickets on which the forms are printed in which the writing is to be done.

These paper sheets pass over the top of the guiding mechanism and thence downwardly beneath the platen 2. The carbon strips, as described, are suspended between the sheets. The carbon strips are of lesser length than the distance between the transverse perforations defining the sections or tickets of the paper strips.

Starting with the partsin the position shown in Figure 1, the combined paper and carbon sheets are written upon in successive lines and fed forwardly by the platen and pressure rollers. As this writing operation takes place the free ends of the sheets are guided behind the depending finger bar 59 to keep them from falling forwardly in front of the operator (see Figure 3).

When this operation is concluded the finger piece 4 is operated to release the platen detent or holding roll 5 and to release the pressure rollers 3. The combined effect of gravity on the aligning pins 44 and the holder is quite great, andthe effect of the spring 28 is to return quickly and automatically the written-upon sheets and carbons until the carbons are freed from the rear pressure roller 3:

Then the platen is re-locked by pressing the pressure rollers against the paper sheets. The holding roll or detent 5 is restored to operative position. The rear pin bar 42 is actuated and the pins 44 are removed from the holes in the paper. The paper sheets are fed forwardly until the transverse perforations, in the present instance third back from the outer end, come opposite' the pointer I3.

Then the rear pin bar 42 is released so that the pins 44 can drop in the file punch holes in the paper sheets. The platen is released and the paper sheets are moved forwardly to a point where they may be placed upon the pins 64, whereupon they are moved upwardly, as indicated in Figure 4, and at the same time the carbon sheets are drawn along with the paper sheets between the next succeeding ticket to a new writing position, whereupon the paper sheets which have been written upon are torn off and the mechanism is ready for another writing operation. The finger of the operator is slipped beneath the clip 66 so that the back of the finger serves to hold the sheets on the pins 64, thus providing a grip on the paper sheets and maintaining them in alignment at the same time.

It will be understood that I desire to comprehend within my invention such modifications as may be necessary to adapt it to varying uses and conditions,

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a typewriter attachment, a frame having means thereon to support and guide a plurality of superimposed strips of paper to a typewriter, a slide member supported on the frame for vertical movement, means on the slide member to engage the leading edges of the strips of paper, a non-planar friction plate on the forward face of the slide member for engagement with the rear surface of the leading edge of the rearmost strip of paper, a substantially U-shaped spring clip on the slide member overhanging the friction plate whereby, when a finger of the operator is inserted between the friction plate and the clip, the leading edges of the strips are secured between said friction plate and the finger of the operator.

2. In a typewriter attachment, 2, frame for supporting and guiding a plurality of strips of paper to a typewriter, means supported on the frame for engaging the leading ends of the strips, comprising a non-planar friction plate on the forward face of the slide member for engagement with the rear surface of the leading edges of the rearmost strip of paper, a substantially ushaped spring clip on the slide member overhanging the friction plate whereby, when a finger of the operator is inserted between the friction plate and the clip, the leading edges of the strips are secured between said friction plate and the finger of the operator.

3. A typewriter attachment comprising a frame having means to guide a plurality of superimposed strips of paper to a typewriter, and means having a friction plate and a finger clip thereon to engage, hold and advance the strips of paper, said friction plate having a non-planar forward surface adapted to engage the rear surface of the leading edge of the rearmost strip of paper and said finger clip extending adjacent and forward of the friction plate whereby the leading edges of sad. strips may be secured against the said second means by the wedging action of an operators finger inserted between the front surface of the leading edge of the forward paper strip and the rear surface of the finger clip.

4. A typewriter attachment comprising a frame having means to guide a plurality of superimposed strips of paper to a typewriter, a slide member supported for movement longitudinally of the frame, and means on the slide member for engaging the leading ends of the strips, said means including a pair of pins, a friction plate and a finger clip between the pins, said friction plate having a non-planar forward surface adapted to engage the rear surface of the leading edge of the rear-. most strip of paper and said finger clip extending adjacent and forward of the friction plate whereby the leading edges of said strips may be secured against the slide member by the wedging action of an operators finger inserted between the front surface of the leading edge of the forward paper strip and the rear surface of the fingerclip.

5. A typewriter attachment comprising a frame having thereon means to support and guide superimposed strips of paper, a slide member slidably mounted on the frame, an adjustable stop on one end of the slide member, and paper-engaging means on the other end of the slide member comprising a friction plate and a spring-finger clip, said friction plate having a non-planar forward surface adapted to engage the rear surface of the leading edge of the rearmost strip of paper and said finger clip extending adjacent and forward of the friction plate whereby the leading edges of said strips may be secured against the slide member by the wedging action of an operators finger inserted between the front surface of the leading edge of the forward paper strip and the rear surface of the finger clip.

6. A typewriter attachment comprising a frame having thereon means to support and guide superimposed strips of paper, a slide member slidably mounted on the frame, an adjustable stop on one end of the slide member, and paper-engaging means on the other end of the slide member, said last-named means comprising a cross arm having spaced pins thereon, a friction plate and a spring finger clip on the slide member adjacent to the center of the cross bar, said friction plate having a non-planar forward surface adapted to engage the rear surface of the leading edge of the rearmost strip of paper and said finger clip extending adjacent and forward of the friction plate whereby the leading edges of said strips may be secured against the slide member and the cross bar and upon said spaced pins by the wedging action of an operators finger inserted between the front surface of the leading edge of the forward paper strip and the rear surface of the finger clip.

7. A typewriter attachment comprising a frame having thereon means to support and guide superimposed strips of paper, a slide member slidably mounted on the frame, an adjustable stop on one end of the slide member, and paper-engaging means on the other end of the slide member, said last-named means comprising a cross arm having thereon pins and a friction plate and a finger clip between the pins, said friction plate having a non-planar forward surface adapted to engage the rear surface of the leading edge of the rearmost strip of paper and said finger clip extending adjacent and forward of the friction plate whereby the leading edges of said strips may be secured against said paper-engaging means by the wedging action of an operators finger inserted between the front surface of the leading edge of the forward paper strip and the rear surface of the finger clip.

8. In combination with a typewriter and an attachment for guiding a plurality of superimposed strips of paper to the typewriter, a slide member supported for movement to and from the typewriter, a cross bar on the slide member, said cross bar having a paper-engaging means on each end, and means comprising a friction plate and an overhanging spring-finger clip intermediate the ends of the bar to receive a finger of the operator whereby the slide member may be moved and the strips of paper fed through the typewriter, said friction plate having a non-planar forward surface adapted to engage the rear surface of the leading'edge of the rearmost strip of paper and said finger clip extending adjacent and forward of the friction plate whereby the leading edges of said strips may be secured against said slide member and said cross bar by the wedging action of an operators finger inserted between the front surface of the .leading edge of the forward paper strip and the rear surface of the finger clip.

9. In combination with a typewriter and an attachment for guiding a plurality of superimposed strips of paper to the typewriter, a slide member supported for movement to and from the typewriter platen, said slide member having on one end an adjustable stop and on its other end a cross bar, means on each end of the cross bar to engage the leading ends of the strips, and means between the ends of the cross bar cooperating with a finger of the operator to grip the strips of paper and advance them through the typewriter, said last-named means comprising a friction plate and an overhanging spring-finger clip, said friction plate having a non-planar forward surface adapted to engage the rear surface of the leading edge of the rearmost strip of paper and said finger clip extending adjacent and forward of the friction plate whereby the leading edges of said strips may be secured against said slide member and said cross bar by the wedging action of an operator's finger inserted between the front surface of the leading edge of the forward paper strip and the rear surface of the finger clip.

10. In combination, in a machine for feeding a plurality of paper strips having transverse perforations and aligning apertures at intervals between the perforations, means including a hinged back bar carrying spaced pins for registration with the'perforations for feeding the paper strips in aligned condition to the typewriter platen around which said sheets are fed, means including presser rollsfor gripping said sheets to the platen, means for withdrawing the paper sheets and the carbon sheets backwardly bodily after the writing operation, and means for moving the paper sheets written upon forwardly into aligned condition while the carbon sheets are stationary, said lastnamedmeans comprising separate means for releasing the pins on the back bar from registration with the perforations, means for simultaneously releasing the presser rolls and platen detent, and means for drawing the sheets forward a predetermined amount by engaging their leading edges.

ll. In combination, in a machine for feeding a plurality of paper strips having transverse perforations and aligning apertures at intervals between the perforations, means including a hinged back bar carrying spaced pins for registration with the perforations for feeding the paper strips in aligned condition to the typewriter platen around which said sheets are fed, means including presser rolls for gripping said sheets to the platen, means for withdrawing the paper sheets and the carbon sheets backwardly bodily after the writing operation, and means for moving the paper sheets written upon forwardly into aligned condition while the carbon sheets are stationary, said last-named means comprising separate means for releasing the pins on the back bar from registration with the perforations, a single means for simultaneously releasing the presser rolls and platen detent, and means for drawing the sheets forward a predetermined amount by engagement with their leading edges.

12. In combination with a typewriter having a platen, a presser roller for engaging the platen and a ratchet on the platen for the rotation thereof, means to engage the ratchet to hold the platen, and a single means to move the presser roller from the platen and at the same time move said firstnamed means away from the ratchet.

13. In combination with a typewriter having a platen, a presser roll for engaging the platen and a ratchet on the platen for the rotation thereof. means to engage the ratchet to hold the platen, a lever to move the presser roll from the platen, and a lever operated by the first-named lever to move said means from engagement with the ratchet.

14. 'An attachment for a typewriting machine having releasable presser rolls for holding the Work sheets against the platen of the typewriter and means for releasing the same, a ratchet releasably secured to the platen which by engagement with a detent prevents free rotation of the platen comprising means operated by the movement of the presser roll release means to remove the detent from contact with the ratchet.

15. An attachment for a typewriting machine having releasable presser rolls for holding the work sheets against the platen of the typewriter and means for releasing the same, a ratchet releasably secured to the platen which by engagement with a detent prevents free rotation of the platen comprising a lever pivotally mounted on the carriage of the machine and having a surface on one end for engaging the presser roll release means and a surface on the other end thereof for engaging the platen ratchet detent whereby operation of the presser roll release means frees the platen from the restriction of the ratchet and detent.

16. An attachment for a typewriting machine having releasable presser rolls for holding the work sheets against the platen of the typewriter, and means for releasing the same, a ratchet releasably secured to the platen which by engagement with a detent prevents free rotation of the platen comprising a screw-head pintle mounted on the machine carriage and a cam lever pivoted thereon providing interconnection between the presser roll release means and the detent support means whereby the presser rolls and the detent are simultaneously released by operation of the presser roll release means.

17. In combination, a typewriter having a movable carriage having mounted thereon a platen .roller having a detent control ratchet coaxial therewith and connected thereto, a detent comprising a cam lever pivoted on the carriage with one end engageable with the presser roll retracting lever and the other end engageable with the detent roller-supporting bifurcated leaf-spring, whereby when the presser roll retracting lever is drawn forward by the operator the bifurcated leaf-spring roller support will be forced backward and the detent roller thereby removed from contact with the ratchet.

WILLIAM C. PFEIFFER. 

